Words
by thegirlwhowondered
Summary: Pre-established Whouffle. Clara has no one to spend Christmas with, so the Doctor swoops in and saves the day.


**A/N: Pre-established Whouffle goodness ^_^ Based off an anonymous prompt on Tumblr:**

_**Can you do a fluffy fic? Ice skating or something? Lots of kissing and fluff obviously**_

** I hope this is fluffy enough for you, dear anon ^w^**

* * *

All was quiet. The sunlight that streamed in through the window draped itself over Clara like a spotlight drawing attention to her perfect face. Her eyelids fluttered as she dreamed, and occasionally she would shift; but otherwise she was still as she slept. She was tangled comfortably in her sheets, her hair was a mess and her pyjamas were askew; but she was perfectly content. It was the most peaceful morning there had ever been.

In spite of it being Christmas Day, Clara didn't bother even trying to get up early. She had nowhere to be. Her family and friends had all gone ahead and made plans without her, leaving Clara to her own devices this holiday. She tried to make the best of it. Between her job, travelling with the Doctor, and life in general, Clara didn't get much time to relax. Maybe this was just her chance.

Or it would be if that incessant knocking would stop.

After listening to it for about five minute, Clara finally decided that it must be urgent enough for her to get out of bed; so she did. While she had no idea what to expect, Clara certainly wouldn't have rightly guessed what she would find. When she opened the door, she found the most familiar person in the world standing before her, but the Doctor wasn't clad in his usual attire. He was wearing what looked to be some kind of cross between an ordinary suit and a Santa one. It was bright red, with a white bowtie and matching Christmas...fez? Hanging on his arms and clasped in his hands, the doctor held many bags and two stockings; one with "Doctor" and the other with "Clara" written on.

"Hello!" He greeted brightly upon seeing Clara's face. "Merry Christmas!"

"...I hope you're not making a fashion statement, I was just barely getting over the bowtie," Clara returned, still clearly affected by surprise.

"Oi! Well aren't you just filled with the Christmas spirit!" The Doctor raised his chin indignantly. "Bowties are cool. Now, can I come in? I brought some great Christmas...things...and I have a whole day of fun planned!"

Clara shrugged, and stepped aside. Their relationship was still new, so she hadn't expected to do too much with the Doctor on Christmas. But at the same time, Clara wasn't _too_ surprised to see him on her doorstep, so bright and early and cheerfully. After getting changed and all but guzzling three cups of tea to wake up, Clara sat next to the tree as the Doctor unloaded bags upon bags of peculiar presents.

* * *

Like usual, Clara had tried to appear unaffected as she got off the phone with her Dad. But the Doctor knew better. Her voice was calm when she explained to the Doctor how the conversation went;

"No, I'll be in France his Christmas with Michelle. Clara, be a grown up, she isn't trying to be your mother ... Linda's visiting her Mum and taking Grandma with her ... George is having a quiet one with Angie and Artie ... Didn't Truly already tell you she'll be in Australia? ... Oh yes, I remember you said that Raven is backpacking through the Sahara. How is he, anyhow?"

Clara was and always would be a people person, so to hear all at once that the people closest to her were too busy to be with her on the holidays must've been devastating. And so, remaining true to his name, the Doctor was happy to swoop in and save the day!

Once presents were done, he had an action packed day planned. After visiting a theme park the Doctor had convinced the owner to open just for them; building a snow-slitheen in the park; and picnicking high above the city; the Doctor had only one more activity planned before taking his tired girlfriend home.

"Doctor," Clara whispered. "I'm exhausted. Can we have an early one?"

The Doctor squeezed Clara's hand and shook his head, that goofy grin seemingly etched onto his face. "I have just one more place to take you. I think you'll really love it."

"Where?"

He tapped his nose secretively. "I don't like to boast-"

"Liar."

"-But this is the best surprise yet!"

Without warning, the Doctor came to a stop. Clara peered around him, and her face lit up.

"Are we-"

"Yep!" He grinned. Going by the look on her face, he'd chosen right.

"Thank you!" All of a sudden, Clara seemed to have her energy renewed as she stared out at the rink. "I've not been ice skating in years! My mother used to take me, but after she died...I guess I never had a reason to go. But I love it. How did you know?"

"Intuition, Clara. I always know." Actually it had been a wild guess.

"Come on!" This time, after taking a gentle kiss on the cheek, Clara took the lead, as they hurried to the bench to put on their ice skates, and then raced out onto the wide skating rink. "Careful!" Clara glided gracefully along he idea while the Doctor stumbled behind.

"Sorry. These legs...not really used to skating of any kind..." Actually, that was only part of the Doctor's clumsiness. The rest of it came from Clara herself. Somehow, her presence had an affect on him he couldn't describe. Like, whenever he looked at her, he forgot to do the simple things. You know, breathing, blinking, lifting his feet when he walked.

Clara always had been beautiful at the best and worst of times, but there was something beyond ethereal about the way she seemed to fly along the ice, just like a swan. A swan with silent rocket feet and pretty brown hair. Actually, that thought was scary - Clara was nothing like a swan.

"Doctor, are you okay?" Clara laughed as she skated circles around him. "You look somewhat mentally scarred."

Without offering any kind of warning, the Doctor reached out and wrapped an arm around Clara's waist, pulling her closer. "I was just thinking about how you're nothing like a swan with rocket feet and human hair."

"Uh, thanks?" Clara was obviously lost in some distant carriage on this train of thought, and was happy to let it crash when the Doctor kissed her.

"I think you're more like a Tybird," he continued as soon as they separated, as though he hadn't been interrupted. "They won't be around for a little while, but they are the the most beautiful birds you've ever seen. Their tails are four feet long and made of fire! Although the rest of their feathers are bright red, so you could be forgiven that they were entirely made of it. And their bodies are so tiny, a little bit like you, but they're adorable, and-" This time, it was Clara who initiated a kiss, mostly to shut the Doctor up before he went so far off on a tangent, that it would be impossible to get him back.

"I love you, but you're crazy," she whispered, after pulling away a tiny inch. The Doctor grinned and put his hands on Clara's waist. Together, they began to move slowly across the ice.

"I am well aware of both, I promise you. And Clara?" He brushed her hair back to whisper in her ear. "...I love you too."

Of course, Clara had known this. She'd always known. But hearing it was something different. The Doctor had taken her to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. She'd experienced so much, and yet...and yet, hearing those small, simple words whispered only for her on Christmas Day was the most beautiful sound she'd encountered. It was something she hoped to hear again and again.

Eventually, the Doctor let Clara go in favour of taking her hand, and they glided across the ice together.

Neither one of them spoke for the rest of the night. While words were beautiful, there were some things that words just couldn't say.


End file.
